Meet You There
by Rae of Rosemary
Summary: Song fic to the title. Pre TPM to TPM.


Fifteen year old Obi Wan stood in front of the council, the first time he had ever stood in front of them without his Master by his side. His Master had gone on a solo mission to Abrani, a planet just two days' journey from the temple. The council had summoned him, and by the grave looks on their faces, he thought he knew why.

/Now you're gone /

"Padawan Kenobi." Master Yoda started, leaning forward slightly. "Have sorrowful news to tell you, I do. Know you do that on a dangerous mission, your master was. Receive an urgent distress call early today, we did." Yoda sighed and slowly shook his head, looking his age. "Destroyed, your Master's ship was. A way for him to have survived, there is not. Grieve for your loss, we do."

/I wonder why you left me here/

Obi Wan stood a moment in complete shock then shook his head defiantly. "No." He stated flatly. "He's not dead. If he was dead, then our bond would have broken. I can still feel it there. He's alive."

Master Yoda sighed. "Padawan Ken-"

"NO!" Obi Wan was surprised to find that he was yelling. "He is NOT dead! He wouldn't leave me behind...he told me once he wouldn't. He would never leave me."

/I think about it on and on and on and on and on again/

He had run. Run like a second level innate from the bogeyman under their beds. He ran until he couldn't breathe, then fell to his knees before figuring out where he was. He was in a meditation garden, their meditation garden. It was a little one, rarely used and had been ill kept when they found it. They had asked the council for it and, when granted permission, turned it into a lovely little place for them to spend time together.

'It's impossible.' He thought. 'They missed something. It's as simple as that. So, I'll go find him.'

/I know you're never coming back/

'He can't make it back on his own, for whatever reason. So to get to him, I'll need a transport. That won't be hard, I've been able to hot wire them and hack into the auto pilots for years now. I'll be in a Sith load of trouble when I get back, but finding Master is worth it.'

/I hope that you can hear me/

Did you hear that, Master?! He yelled through the bond. I'm coming for you! I'm going to find you!

He smirked quietly, almost to himself. "You would be glad, Master. I'm defying the Council at last. Now," he muttered quietly "Let's see about that transport, shall we?"

/I'm waiting to hear from you/

He slipped quietly into the hanger, finding a suitable one with enough fuel for the away and return trips, and enough to travel around a bit.

/Until I do/

I'm coming for you He thought, expertly crossing wires in a transport's engine. You would never leave me behind, and so I never would you. He tapped out the course in the auto pilot, twisting knobs and buttons. He grabbed hold of the wheel and hit the gas. I'm coming.  
  
/You're gone away/  
/I'm left alone/  
/A part of me is gone/  
/And I'm not moving on/  
/So wait for me/  
/I know the day will come/

Light years away, Qui Gon Jinn's eyes opened slightly. He frowned in concentration, then his eyes closed peacefully and a small smile formed on his lips as his padawan's voice echoed through his mind.

/I'll meet you there/  
/No matter where life takes me to/  
/I'll meet you there/  
/And even if I need you here/  
/I'll meet you there/

So many years after that fateful incident, Obi Wan stood at the funeral pyre, recalling old times with a bittersweet sorrow. He laid a hand on his new Padawan's shoulder, giving and receiving strength from the small boy.

/I wish I could have told you /  
/The things I kept inside/

'Master.' He started, 'I know that we didn't really get a chance to talk before you... died. You told me to train the boy. I will. But, Master? I know you didn't say it, and I know I didn't either. But I did love you. I respected you, even when we were fighting. I owe you everything, and I want to thank you.'

/But now I guess it's just too late/  
/So many things remind me of you/

The next weeks were Obi's own very private versions of hell. Every little thing reminded him of what he had lost. The slight vanilla scent of the incense sticks that Obi teased him about but actually loved, the half pot of caff that his master had forgotten to dump out, the room and the sheets and the bed and the meager possessions and most especially the light saber that had all belonged to his Master.

/I hope that you can hear me/  
/I miss you/

After almost a month of training Ani and throwing himself into a near form of well hidden depression, Master Windu stopped by. "Obi." He said, "I know you're hurting, we all are, but you're killing yourself. You have to stop this."

"I know." He said back, "But I miss him."

"Meditate with me." Was the reply. "I can help you let go."

/This is goodbye/  
/One last time/

They knelt together for a long time, meditating and talking. At one point, Obi Wan cried, a thing few had ever seen him do. "I remember once, a long time ago. The council thought he was dead, but I didn't. So I hijacked a transport and went and found him."

"I remember." Mace replied dryly. "You have no idea how badly you worried us."

"I know." He replied. "But it feels now like it did then. Only now, I have nothing to cling to. No more hope of his life. He was practically my father. How do I let that go?"

/You're gone away/  
/I'm left alone./  
/A part of me is gone/  
/And I'm not moving on/  
/So wait for me /  
/I know the day will come/

"You don't." He answered. "Just stay with the Force. He's there in it, just waiting for you to join him.

"Yeah." Obi smiled and touched the Force, and felt what suspiciously felt like his Master's presence. "I guess you're right."  
  
/I'll meet you there/  
/No matter where life takes me to/  
/I'll meet you there/  
/And even if I need you here/  
/I'll meet you there/


End file.
